UNHCR: Iraq hosts +334,000 refugees, +1 million IDPs

Shafaq News/ Iraq is home to 334,454 refugees and asylum seekers, with 90% being Syrians residing in the Kurdistan Region.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 70% live in urban areas, while 30% are housed in nine refugee camps across Kurdistan.

The demographic breakdown reveals that 41% of these refugees are children under 18. The largest refugee populations originate from Syria (301,494), followed by Iran (9,391), Turkiye (8,208), Sudan (1,531), and other countries (13,830). Key provinces hosting refugees include Erbil (over 121,000), Duhok (over 40,000), Al-Sulaymaniyah (over 32,000), Baghdad (over 30,000), and Karbala (over 3,000).

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

In addition to hosting refugees, Iraq has 1,053,038 internally displaced persons. The majority live in urban private accommodations or informal settlements, while around 100,000 reside in 21 IDP camps, primarily in Kurdistan.

The provinces with the highest numbers of IDPs include Nineveh, Duhok, Erbil, Al-Sulaymaniyah, Kirkuk, Saladin, Diyala, Al-Anbar, and Baghdad. Meanwhile, 4,897,128 IDPs have returned to their areas of origin, with most returning to Nineveh, Al-Anbar, Saladin, Diyala, Kirkuk, and Baghdad.

UNHCR’s latest strategy focuses on balancing humanitarian assistance with developmental approaches. It aims to ensure comprehensive access to essential services, quality protection programs, and economic opportunities for refugees and IDPs alike.